As a heating design engineer, I spec a lot of
hydronic radiant-floor heating systems for both
residential and commercial jobs. I would probably
spec more residential systems, however, if they
weren't so expensive. Though initially interested,
many homeowners are eventually scared off by the
high costs.
One of the reasons for the high cost has to do
with the cost of the thin slab itself. The usual
method of installing the thin slab
for hydronic floor heating uses a
self-leveling gypsum-based underlayment,
such as Gyp-Crete. The
underlayment is typically poured
near the end of the job, after all
the walls are up and the house has
been closed in. These systems must
be installed by a certified